Overview
Providing Illinois Governments Sophisticated and Practical Counsel
Some lawyers make deals. Some argue cases. Some protect assets. We do those things and more. We build legal infrastructure. We establish rights that survive challenges. We write laws that stand the test of time. We craft agreements that communities are built on.
For decades, the attorneys at Elrod Friedman have worked with Illinois governments of all sizes and levels. Our abilities representing the public sector go far beyond how to run a meeting or adopt an ordinance. We have experience in all aspects of municipal and Illinois government operations. Put simply, we do the little things right, and we do the big and complicated things right as well.
Our public sector attorneys did not get here by chance — we have been hooked from the beginning of our careers on the challenges and opportunities of government representation, and we each have chosen to work here to practice government law at the highest level.
Collaborative Experience for the Public Sector
Our government attorneys collaborate every day to bring the very best representation to our government clients. We rely upon and consult with each other to identify the best legal approaches, the most effective documents, and the most creative strategies to help our clients succeed. Because our bench is so deep and our experience so vast, we know that we can rise to any challenge and help Illinois governments realize their goals.
Broad Range of Government Clients
In addition to villages and cities, we regularly represent counties, forest preserves, park districts, local and statewide pension systems, fire protection districts, airport and marina authorities, boards of education, medical districts, building commissions, library boards and districts, interstate compacts, and regional planning agencies. We have also represented the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois on a wide array of special projects.
We have worked with home rule and non-home rule municipalities and counties, special districts and other Illinois government entities, adjusting as needed based on the legal scope of their authority under state law and the Illinois Constitution of 1970. For home rule units, we know well how to help exercise their extensive constitutional authority to accomplish various services and policy goals. For non -home rule units, we have decades of experience with the Illinois Municipal Code and all of its explicit and implicit authority for municipalities to utilize.
Our Public Sector and Municipal Law Services
Government Legal Services
Zoning and Land Use Development
General Government Counseling
Government Operations
Government Ethics
Internal Investigations
Public Contracts
Government Finance and Taxation
Litigation and Administrative Law
Employment and Personnel Law
Intergovernmental Cooperation and State Legislative Initiatives
Joint Projects
Election and Political Activities
Pensions and PSEBA
Illinois Cannabis Law
COVID-19
Private Sector Knowledge. Public Sector Benefit.
We are one of the few firms in Illinois that regularly represents both public and private sector clients. We have proven false the old school belief that these two practices create conflicts and cannot coexist.
To the contrary, while always maintaining confidentiality and strictly complying with all rules of professional conduct, our deep knowledge of and insights into the issues of importance to private sector real estate owners, developers, and investors, materially benefits of our public sector clients on many specific transactions.